fglrx module fails to start X with the 2.6 kernel
 

Hi,

I'm trying to get my Radeon 9600 card working with the official ATI binary driver with Linux 2.6.1. It works fine in 2.4.22.

Basically, whenever I start X and the fglrx module is loaded X looks as if it's going to start because the screen goes black... but it stays black. There's no response from the keyboard either. For instance if I press caps lock the light doesn't come on. At this point what I do is switch back to TTY1 by pressing ALT+F1 and it looks like X has exited (and my caps lock works again, hurrah!).

To get the fglrx module to work, accelerated, in 2.4.22 I had to edit the agpgart_be.c file and modify it a bit because I have a VIA KT400 chipset (for my sins). I also had to not compile AGP support into the kernel and use the internal ones that came with the drivers. With 2.6 I get the same result no matter what I do. Whether I leave agpgart_be.c intact or edit it and whether I compile AGP support (with VIA chipset) into the kernel or not I still just get a black screen when starting X.

If you want to see my /var/log/XFree86.0.log file you can see it at linrar.sourceforge.net/prob.txt. I know there's an error saying "No matching Device section for instance (BusID PCI:1:0:1) found" but this isn't the problem. I got this error even when the drivers worked. It's something to do with the TV Output.

Please help,

Darrell

I had the same problem with my 9100. What you need to do is recompile the kernel with agpgart as module and your chipset module. Disable DRI from the kernel (Don’t even compile it as a module). And if you have AMD processor u need to apply the AMD fix to the fglrx driver. The AMD fix can be found in one of the forums here. After you do this, modprobe agpgart and modprobe yourchipset-agp. Reinstall fglrx drivers and create a new config from X and this should fix it.

Thanks for your reply. I'm heading in the right track now. I can't find the AMD fix anywhere on this forum though. I'd been searching for about half an hour. What exactly does it do though? I'm a bit wary of patching things if I don't know what they do? I'm gonna try modifing the kernel without the AMD fix and see what happens anyway =o)

Cheers

bump

I am having the exact same error as redneon. I have just installed 2.6.1. It compiles like a champ everything works. I downloaded the latest ATI drivers (3.7.0) and they compile just fine (besides a few warnings). However X will not start. After typing startx the screen goes black and will stay that way until I switch to a console. At the console I see a warning about no matching device for BusID 1:5:1. I'm fairly positive this is not what is making the X server crash though as it just a warning (WW) not and error (EE).

I am running Slack 9.1 w/X 4.3.0. The ATI drivers work fine in the default 2.4.22 kernel. I could not find what ever AMD fix rush_pl is referring to. I can post my /var/log/Xfree86.0.log if anyone thinks it will help.

Oh and I have tried with and without DRM in the kernel. Also with external and internal AGP. Tried building agpgart into the kernel as well as just the module. I even tried the regular ol' Radeon module in the kernel but I get a whopping 384 FPS on glxgears. That's not very impressive for a Radeon 9700 Pro.

Suggestions?
Thanks.

I 've an 9100 and Gentoo.Currently I'm running the Gentoo distro driver's(3.7.0) and they work perfectly(2800 FPS glxgears) except from DVI output.
To be honest, in hopes of getting DVI output, I tried to install the drivers provided by ATI but I failed no matter what I tried.I dont know why ,because they say that Gentoo drivers are exactly the same with the source ones with some modifications concerning the installation method.

Keep in mind.It is important to compile in the kernel the DRI support BUT WITHOUT CHOOSING ANY OF THE SUPPORTED CARDS.The driver will take care of it as was the xfree-drm doing in the previous kernels.

Hi,

have a look at rage3d.com, in the linux forum, I got some very good answers there. Regarding the kernel-oops, its basically one little change in the drivers source from ATI. I'm sorry, currently at work and no access to my Linux, but you'll find all answers on rage3d.com.